The Virginian-Pilot
©
CHESAPEAKE
Facing opposition from nearby industrial businesses, the City Council continued a vote Tuesday on whether to acquire the right of way for five railroad crossings for the Belharbour Station at SoNo development project.
The city will vote on the resolution on July 15, after staffers have been able to review a report produced by consultants for the Norfolk & Portsmouth Belt Line Railroad. The report contends that a development so close to that many railroad crossings would be dangerous.
The resolution would allow the city to pursue eminent domain or condemnation actions to obtain the right of way if negotiations with Belt Line fail.
City officials have said the crossings are essential for Belharbour Station, a South Norfolk redevelopment project that could bring 240 apartments, 340 condominiums, and office and retail space to a mostly industrial area.
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Dog & pony show
If attention had been paid The City Attorney,first stated he had informed the applicants (ie: Attorney for Railroad, & The "Developer" Mr So & so whom he had happened to run into prior to meeting at "City Hall") that the item would be continued.This was before the meeting. When Willis asked for an explaination he stuttered stammered than said well he might have "mentioned" it too "them". This same "dog & pony show" has gone on in previous planning items. Resolutions with Posted Dates for votes in the future by both Council & Planning Commission. Another note of interest was the discussion on liabilty. Kraznoff brought forward (read) an added language for the item. He proposed a change to the resolution as a hold harmless for the City in the event of an accident if one should occur at a crossing. The question was asked of the Attorney "Will the language be sufficient that has been brought forward". Answer "yes". Longer discussion,about language was it legal enough. At which time Krasnoff stated "well the attorney wrote it". City Attorney & Krasnff hadn't given the "script" to the rest of the council. That was the reason for the closed session. The question we all should have do
If the city of Chesapeake
If the city of Chesapeake takes those right of ways, I hope the Norfolk & Portsmouth Belt Line Railroad sues the dog squeeze out the city. Eminent domain abuse at it's finest.
Where is the Competence
Just one year ago, Chesapeake City Council showed compassion and concern for the residents of South Hill and held meetings for them to be safely relocated out of an industrial area. With this fact being known, why are we moving future residents of this horrendous Bell Harbor project into an industrial area? Last night the developers knew a continuance was scheduled before it occurred, they wasted no fuel appearing, however opponents had appeared to argue this project closed and instead witnessed the most pathetic and weak decision making policy I have witnessed in quite some time. Those council members who are proponents of this project argued they needed more time to review new safety data from the railroad, however the resolution on the agenda was about eminent domain only, the word SAFETY did not appear one time on the agenda under item N. Either vote on it or throw it out, Bell Harbor is headed for a very expensive court fight, one that Chesapeake citizens tax dollars should not be used for. You voted them back in office, now pay the price!!!!!
this is/will be an abuse of eminent domain
This is definatley not a logical humane location for human dwellings and it appears more and more to be a political grab bag. I wish we could follow the money on this one but there are layers and layers and layers of electronic exhanges. Should this be approved I demand a new school be built on site for the new children living there. K - 12th.
As long as each member of Chesapeake City Council can Say
I will be sorry for any person who lives in this development who may die because emergency services had to wait ten minutes for a train. This should be said by each City Council member who votes for this. They should also say "I expect future City Councils in Chesapeake will feel the ill effects of my decision for years to come". This is about the dumbest proposal I've seen.
Come ON Does having Residential next to heavy Industrial..?
Where's the Common Sense in having Residential surrounded by railroad tracks and heavy industrial? Come ON we have seen year after year that 20 years in the future the owners of these proposed residential and businesses will be coming before city council complaining about noise and smells and truck traffic. Any City planner will tell you that putting heavy industrial next to residential without buffers is a recipe for disaster. The proposed development doesn't make sense on in this place on the banks of one of the must heavily industrialized rivers in the world. If this development is built as proposed The residents and businesses of this will be coming before Chesapeake City Council for the next 100 years. Ask the residents who bought property underneath the Navy flight paths in Chesapeake and Virginia Beach if they thought whether the developers who built there were happy with the deal. The railroads and surrounding business are telling Chesapeake this a problem development.